25-year prison sentence “excessive” – rape convict tells CoA

A man who was convicted of four counts of rape and sentenced to 25 years in prison is appealing his sentence on the basis that it is “excessive”. Jegede Hodge, 50, formerly of Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara (EBD), has lodged a Notice of Appeal with the Guyana Court of Appeal.

In December 2019, he was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl between May 1 and 31, 2014. In 2015, he committed the said act twice between January 21 and December 31; the girl was 14 then. When she turned 16 in 2017, he again raped her between September 1 and 30, 2017.
On the first charge, Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall sentenced Hodge to 18 years’ imprisonment and another 20 years on the second count. She further imposed a 22 and 25-year prison sentence on the third and fourth counts, respectively. The sentences will run concurrently.
In appeal documents, the convicted child rapist is argued that his trial lawyer failed to adequately mitigate the sentence. He further argued that the sentence is unfair, too severe, excessive in all circumstances of the case, and not in keeping with established sentencing guidelines.
The victim, in a statement to the court, had said she is still traumatised by the incidents and at times thought about ending her life. She also stated that she was disappointed that her mother did not believe her when she confided in her about what Hodge had done to her.
The young lady said that the man would collect her from school and take her to various locations where he raped her. Her statement also revealed that she had pleaded with him to use a condom to prevent her from getting pregnant. (G1)